Margraviate of Baden

The Margraviate of Baden was a state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from 1112 to 1803, with Baden-Baden serving as its medieval capital and Karlsruhe serving as its capital from 1715 to 1803. The margraviate, located along the eastern bank of the Upper Rhine River in western Germany, was created out of a portion of the Duchy of Swabia, and it was given to the House of Zahringen. The Zahringen family staunchly supported the House of Hohenstaufen, also native to the Swabia region, and Baden was allowed tto expand its realm across southwestern Germany as a reward. In 1803, Baden was elevated to the Electorate of Baden, and then to the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1806.